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2 die in collision involving band

Two people were killed Thursday in a two-vehicle head-on crash in Hudspeth County involving a bus carrying a popular rock band that collided with a semi-truck.

Texas Department of Public Safety officials said the accident occurred at about 9:15 a.m. on U.S. Highway 62/180 near mile marker 63 in Hudspeth County, approximately six miles east of a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint.

The accident resulted in the deaths of the drivers of both vehicles and left 10 passengers on the bus injured, officials said.

A 1997 gray private bus, which was carrying members of the rock band The Ghost Inside, was driving west on the highway and for an unknown reason struck a 2007 International Truck Tractor head on, officials said. The semi-truck was traveling in the eastbound lanes.

The bus was hauling a four-wheel trailer, while the semi-truck was transporting two flatbed trailers, officials said. All 10 passengers in the bus were injured and taken to various hospitals. There were no passengers in the semi-truck.

Gregory Hoke, 31, of Round Rock, who was driving the bus, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the semi-truck, 64-year-old Steven Cunningham, was also pronounced dead at the scene, officials said. Cunningham was from Las Cruces.

The Ghost Inside’s lead singer Jonathan Vigil, whose age was not released, guitarist Zach Johnson, 28, and drummer Andrew Tkaczyk, 28, were all airlifted to University Medical Center. All three suffered serious injuries in the crash and were in critical condition, officials said Thursday night.

The band’s bassist James Riley, 34, from Nevada, also suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to Las Palmas Medical Center. He was listed in stable condition Thursday night.

Charles Anthony Billings, 27, from Maryland, and Danny Lupio, 29, of Garden Grove, Calif., were also taken to University Medical Center with serious injuries. Both were in critical condition.

Two other passengers in the bus, Nathan Wilden, 31, of Topeka, Kan., and Armando Cardona, 32, of Phoenix, suffered serious injuries in the wreck. They were taken to Del Sol Medical Center and were in stable condition, officials said.

Timothy Irons, 27, from California, and Christopher Davis, 25, from Maryland, were taken to Las Palmas Medical Center with serious injuries. Both were in stable condition.

Officials for the band released a statement saying that members of the band and the crew were being treated at a hospital for injuries sustained in the crash.

“Thanks to everyone who reached out with concern today,” the band said in a statement posted on its website. “The Ghost Inside was involved in a serious bus accident outside El Paso, TX this morning. All 5 band members + all members of the crew are alive and currently being treated for their injuries. Please keep them in your thoughts as well as their bus driver and those in the other vehicle who did not make it."

The Ghost Inside, described as an American metalcore band, was heading to Mesa, Ariz., after performing in Lubbock, according to the group’s website. The band also said that it has canceled the remaining shows in its U.S. tour.

“Unfortunately, all US shows on the Locals Only Tour are cancelled,” the group said in a statement. “Refunds available at point of purchase. We will update you more when we can.”

The band was still scheduled to begin its worldwide tour Dec. 10 in Auckland, New Zealand.

Aaron Martinez may be reached at 546-6249; aamartinez@elpasotimes.com; @amartinez31 on Twitter.